Carlos Miller is founder and publisher of Photography is Not a Crime, which began as a one-man blog in 2007 to document his trial after he was arrested for photographing police during a journalistic assignment.

He is also the author of The Citizen Journalist’s Photography Handbook, which can be purchased through Amazon.

San Diego Paramedic Attacks Photojournalist at Comic Con for Recording Game of Thrones Actress on Gurney

July 9, 2015

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San Diego photojournalist J.C. Playford was conducting a video interview outside Comic Con when he noticed a female on a gurney being carted into a waiting ambulance.

Seeing that she was covering her face with her hands, Playford figured she was a celebrity, so he began recording.

Naturally, that upset one of the paramedics from the San Diego Fire Department, who took it upon himself to play hero and attack Playford for recording.

“He ran up, grabbed my camera and my arm at the same time and knocked me backward,” Playford said in a telephone interview with Photography is Not a Crime.

Playford said he kneed him in the groin, which put a stop to the attack.

The incident took place outside the Hard Rock Cafe at around midnight Tuesday.

Playford said the female in the gurney was from the Game of Thrones HBO television series.

At first, he believed it was Sophie Turner, but now believes it was someone else. All we can see in the video was that she wore purple nail polish.

“There’s 130,000 people in town for Comic Con and it’s filled with celebrities,” he said.

Playford, who frequently gets into altercations with public officials over his right to record, contacted Edward Peruta, owner of Americans News and Information Services, whom he works for and is already immersed in several lawsuits involving Playford.

Peruta contacted the department and received the following response.

Dear Mr. Peruta,

Thank you for taking time out of your day to discuss the alleged incident that took place earlier today at the Hard Rock Hotel in the downtown area of San Diego. Per our conversation, you indicated that your camera operator, J.C. Playford, has video of the incident. You also mentioned that Mr. Playford would be willing to send us the video in order to assist in the investigation. Please feel free to forward whatever information or video you have to me at this email address.

As I indicated, all complaints made to the City of San Diego are investigated 100 %; I can assure you that this matter is under investigation at this time.

Thank you,

Stephen Ricci

Deputy Chief

C Division Shift Commander

San Diego Fire Rescue Department

We will update this as soon as he find out the name of the actress or other relevant information.